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Question:

Hello I was baptized for remission of sins about a year ago and became part of the church of Christ. I wanted to know if it was still possible to hear God's voice audibly or as a small inner voice speaking gently. I know that we no longer need to hear God's voice because He now speaks to us by his Holy Word. I also know it is foolish to seek voices when we have the Word and can understand what He says by reading. But could He or would He still speak if He wanted to? What if a voice speaks and what it says agrees with the Word?

Answer:

There is a difference between asking if something is possible and if it is being done. As Jesus noted, "But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible"" (Mark 10:27). But just because you can imagine a possibility, it doesn't make is so. God told us what He decided to do. "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1-2).

It is interesting that God only chose once to speak through a still voice and yet people come away thinking that is how God usually talked to a prophet in the past. What we miss is that God used a large variety of ways to deliver His message. We forget that the Old Testament covers nearly 4,000 years of history. From that we should realize that God's direct interaction with men was quite rare. But those seeking after "a still small voice" see it as a frequent occurrence.

Better it is to have faith in what God said, instead of wishing for something different.

I really appreciate that. I am a brother in Christ, but I struggle with schizophrenia. It is controlled to the point where I understand reality from the hallucinations and the voices. I was able to go back to school and recieve a technical degree. I am now working on my bachelor's while in the rehabilitation process. I became a Christian a little over a year ago while in school.

I have been doing some studying about God's voice and decided to use your site as reference. I wanted to be absolutely sure that the voices I'm hearing couldn't be God trying to communicate with me. I wouldn't understand why He would when the statement is made in Hebrews chapter one about God's word. All I have to do is read, learn, and grow. It was also hurting me because I was seeing clearly what was written but still hearing things. I know there is no contradiction in His word so I just felt like some outcast.

Thanks brother its going to take some work, but if that is what His word says then these voices are a result of some illness in my brain or trick on my mind. I didn't know this completely before, but as I learn I want to repent and line up with the word. I also read your lessons on Zechariah 13 so I am not fooled or believing this is some type of demon possesion. As long as I'm given the truth, I will comply with it. I have a mental illness that I can and already am learning to control with the help of rehabilitation. Thanks again brother.

Congratulations on making great progress. I've had a friend years ago who had Schizophrenia, so I know what you are going through, at least roughly since I don't experience the symptoms.

While probably not close to accurate, the best explanation is that your brain has multiple regions processing information at the same time. Those regions exchange information and most people are unaware of the communications. However, some people "overhear" the communications; that is where you get some people who think they hear voices in their head. For some, the communications get mistagged. They are convinced that it comes from an outside source, but it gets really confusing because the other parts of brain can't verify that the source is actually there.

You're approaching the problem very well. You are starting with what you know must be and then sorting your confusing and conflicting inputs to determine what is real or not. I know it is hard work, so keep going. "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9).

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